The present invention relates to a structure for temporarily holding a sub-cover on a cover body including a main cover and the sub-cover.
Patent documents 1 and 2 each disclose a technique for coupling a sub-cover to a main cover. Patent document 1 describes a cover coupling structure including a main cover that is fixed to a windshield glass of a vehicle. The main cover covers various sensors, such as a rain sensor, and a rearview mirror coupling portion that are coupled to the windshield glass. The main cover includes a mirror coupling opening used to couple the rearview mirror coupling portion to the windshield glass.
After the rearview mirror coupling portion is coupled to the windshield glass, a sub-cover is coupled to the main cover. The sub-cover closes the mirror coupling opening. The rearview mirror includes a stay that is inserted into a hole of the sub-cover. Patent document 1 does not include any description for temporarily holding the sub-cover on the main cover.
Patent document 2 describes a cover coupling structure in which a cover covering an electronic device includes a main cover coupled to a chassis and a sub-cover coupled to the main cover. The main cover and the sub-cover are formed from a synthetic resin. The electronic device is mounted on the chassis. The main cover includes an open portion where various tasks are performed on the electronic device.
The sub-cover includes two arms that integrally project from the sub-cover. The sub-cover is pivotally supported by the main cover by a screw extending through each arm. This allows the sub-cover to be pivoted in order to open and close the open portion of the main cover. The sub-cover is configured to be adjusted to a firmly fixed state that restricts opening and closing of the sub-cover and a temporarily fixed state that enables opening and closing of the sub-cover in accordance with the tightened degree of the screws.
When the open portion of the main cover is closed by the sub-cover, a projection on an abutment portion of the main cover is fitted to a first groove of a contact portion in each arm. This holds the sub-cover in a temporarily fixed state. When the screws are tightened in this state, the sub-cover is firmly fixed. When the sub-cover closes the open portion of the main cover and the sub-cover is then opened in the temporarily fixed state, the projection of the abutment portion of the main cover is fitted to a second groove, which differs from the first groove, of the contact portion of each arm. This temporarily fixes the sub-cover with the open portion of the main cover in an open state. In this manner, the sub-cover of patent document 2 keeps the open portion of the main cover open or closed in the temporarily fixed state without tightening the screws.